Good input Johnathan. I have no doubts about the support structure. This kit does not show all of that detail. What I did discover with interest was that they used to store aircraft with wings off, up in between those girders, which I would like to place at least one in position to be able to see when looking through one of the larger hanger deck doors. Along with warming engines up, they also launched aircraft via side catapults from the hanger deck. I don't know how long they kept that practice up, but they did do it. Dennis

My references say that transverse hanger catapults were all gone by 1944. The last ship fitted was USS Hornet (CV 12). They were fitted to 5 out of the 6 Essex class carriers with exception of USS Essex. There are photos of F6F Hellcats being launched from hanger catapults so they were certainly in use after September 1943 when the Hellcat reached the Squadrons.

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First Dauntless is finished. Yes, you can just see the cockpit detail through the canopy....just. We will know its there. Many more to do. I'm thinking most of these dauntless will be below on the Hanger deck, maybe 10 total. Have to think about that. It might be better to have as many on the Flight Deck as I can for the effect I suppose. Dennis

Well done Dennis.I think the cross deck cats were removed pretty early in the war. While some early Essex were built with them, as were Yorktown's Wasp and Lexington's, they were not used often, and not liked at all.Wings were also stored on bulkheads, while fuselages were suspended between girders. The hangars were busy places.Jonathan

Because you display your ships as stand alone models and not in a Diorama, maybe assembling one of the aircraft but leaving areas unpainted to show the cockpit details through the plastic and then mounting it on a wee plinth alongside the ship in the same case would demonstrate the minute details possible in models today?

Thank you for the kind words. Many options avail. This small scale is difficult to express all of the details one can do, especially with the PE upscale kits. Frankly, I think they try to outdo themselves on just how far they can go. Someone asked about my steady hands. It is amazing, they are not always steady, what with the huge amount of drugs that I have in my body now, its a wonder I can even do a fraction of this. Fact remains that when I focus into the fine work, my hands seem to steady down. I have to work quick and I cannot tell you how many parts have gone into the great beyond through the "Ping" factor. Many of my models have "hidden" details that only I know about and will never be seen again, but they are there and I guess I take sort of an "xxxxx" comfort in knowing that fact As a side example, I sold a large model of the clipper ship Flying Cloud, done in wood. Took me 3 yrs. to build. The owner, back on the East coast does not know that the wood under the main planked deck has a good amount of my blood soaked into the solid wood hull. Short story of it, was I stabbed my hand with my X-acto knife, severed a good size vein and proceed to bleed out onto that hull before I was able to get things undercontrol. What was I to do? I planked over it. Another one of those little details that I (now you folks) know about. Not all of my models are that gory, but all do have at least one detail that remains hidden. Dennis

I thought about that open canopy idea, but the plastic is too thick to make a sectional cut and one part slides over the other. The scale is so small, the part would be impossible to handle..... but, that's just me, because I know its been done. Oh the joy. Dennis

Ok, you made me do it. So here it is. As I said, the canopy casting is too thick. I was able to cut out a section, but could not make the slider. The insides with two seats, instrument panel and I even managed to install the main control stick. Outside painting to be finished of course. But, again, the detail is there. Will have to have this baby on the Flight Deck for all to see..hahahah...this is crazy. Dennis

I appreciate inquiring minds.... looks like 1/64x2mm (darned thing even has a grip at the end of the jog..) they couldn't have made it more realistic. A light touch of CA and gently lowered into place...gads.. it even stuck! Dennis

If I may make a suggestion - given what you are saying about the thickness of the plastic, could you not just cut out the piece from the canopy (A) and the piece it slides over (B) and put the sliding section into place, replacing (B) with (A)?

If I may make a suggestion - given what you are saying about the thickness of the plastic, could you not just cut out the piece from the canopy (A) and the piece it slides over (B) and put the sliding section into place, replacing (B) with (A)?

That would work! As per the diagram. The cut piece 1 moves to the 2 position. The piece 3 moves to the 4 position and 5 disappears.

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No human society has ever functioned without models to capture, explain,disseminate,persuade, sell, reinforce and analyse all kinds of ideas, values, concepts and situations.

Here are some pics of the completed Hanger Bay with the aircraft that I will have in position. They are located such that they can be viewed the best through the hanger bay doors on either side of the ship. Once the deck is on, that's it. Its just one of those things in a model that will never be seen again. It was fun to do. Overhead Flight Deck support girders are next, then the Flight Deck itself... but before that, the Flight Deck, which will have a wood overlay, will be fully detailed out before installation on the model and very time consuming as you will see as things progress. I have additional aircraft that I purchase separately to fill the Flight Deck when done. Lots to do yet. Dennis